1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to an information processing technique in a network system in which a plurality of communication protocols coexist.
2. Description of the Related Art
These days, with the prevalence of IPV6 (Internet Protocol Ver. 6), a network is formed, where IPV4 (Internet Protocol Ver. 4) and IPV6 coexist.
Devices (to be referred to as “IPV4 devices” hereinafter) compliant with only the IPV4 protocol and devices (to be referred to as “IPV6 devices” hereinafter) compliant with only the IPV6 protocol are connectable to a network environment where IPV4 and IPV6 coexist. In addition to IPV4 and IPV6 devices, devices (to be referred to as “dual stack devices” hereinafter) compliant with both IPV4 and IPV6 are connectable to the network environment where IPV4 and IPV6 coexist.
Each device communicates using the IPV4 or IPV6 protocol.
For example, IPV4 devices communicate with each other using IPV4. IPV6 devices communicate with each other using IPV6. A dual stack device communicates using IPV4 with a device which supports only IPV4, and using IPV6 with a device which supports only IPV6. A dual stack device can communicate with another dual stack device using either IPV4 or IPV6.
In a network environment where IPV4 and IPV6 coexist, an image forming system can be formed from a plurality of image forming apparatuses and a plurality of client PCs.
In the image forming system, a user activates an installation program on a client PC, and installs a control program (printer driver) in an image forming apparatus detected on the network.
The user designates printing by operating an application on the client PC. The printer driver generates print data, and transmits it to the image forming apparatus by either the designated IPV4 or IPV6 protocol. Then, the image forming apparatus prints.
For example, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-334571 discloses a method of searching for and controlling a device in a network environment where a plurality of protocols coexist.
According to Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-334571, when a protocol conversion apparatus is detected on a network, it is determined whether the protocol conversion apparatus performs protocol conversion processing. If it is determined that the protocol conversion apparatus does not perform protocol conversion processing, the protocol conversion processing is activated.
When a client PC is a dual stack device in a network environment where IPV4 and IPV6 coexist, search for an image forming apparatus is executed twice using IPV4 and IPV6. If the image forming apparatus is a dual stack device, the device is detected twice for IPV4 and IPV6 and recognized as two different devices.
To solve this problem, Japanese Patent Laid-Open No. 2004-334571 adopts a protocol conversion apparatus. However, this problem cannot be solved in a network environment where no protocol conversion apparatus exists.
In a network environment where IPV4 and IPV6 coexist, dual stack devices preferably communicate with each other by properly using IPV4 or IPV6 depending on the situation.
However, the printer driver of a conventional image forming system and a printer driver installer do not comprise a means for setting a protocol optimum for a network environment. The user must manually set a protocol and IP address, as needed.